“It was uncomfortable, so I stopped.”
There are situations in which this is absolutely the right decision. On a date with someone who’s creeping you out? Listen to that discomfort and get out of there. Realize you’ve started a fight with your partner right when other people are coming into the room with you? Put on the brakes and save the situation.
But there are other times when “discomfort” is the perfect signal that we are making progress, that something is difficult and unfamiliar because it’s new. Discomfort rears its head when I’m practicing a new presentation or speech; I’d rather be doing something familiar and easy. Discomfort shows up in a tough work-out, when maybe I’d like to just quit and not feel out of breath and muscle pain. Discomfort is resistance–it keeps us from getting better, from trying harder, from standing out.
